


Steeped in the Flames of Fortitude

by delectum



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Li from the Tea Shop, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25132909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delectum/pseuds/delectum
Summary: Zuko and his relationship with tea over the years“The perfect tea requires a lower temperature and a softer flame; Too hot and you will scald the tea. Let it steep for too long and the tea will be too bitter. That is why patience and attention is so important when firebending and also when brewing.”“I never realized how much care went into making tea,” Zuko muttered in awe, staring into the depths of his cup. “Or into firebending.”
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Lu Ten & Zuko, Song & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Ursa & Zuko (Avatar), Zhao & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 125





	Steeped in the Flames of Fortitude

_“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”_

_― Henry James_

***  


“Are you sure you haven’t told anyone about this?” Lu Ten whispered as they snuck passed the kitchens stealthily. Zuko followed behind his older cousin, carefully mimicking every step with an expression of childish concentration on his face.

He looked up when he heard what Lu Ten had said and quickly shook his head, “Only the servants and the kitchen staff. I kept it a secret, promise!”

“Good job!” Lu Ten ruffled his cousin's hair, watching in amusement as Zuko beamed under the positive affection. “I’m so glad I decided to bring you into my super secret mission. I couldn't have chosen anyone better.”

Zuko laughed at that, before immediately putting his hands over his mouth. “Sorry,” He whispered giddily, barely holding in his giggles. 

They both snuck a look into the ballroom, watching with satisfaction as the palace servants rushed about setting the table, putting out the desserts, and steeping the tea. 

A formal tea time had been Lu Ten’s idea, a surprise for his father, Crown Prince Iroh, to relieve his mind of the stress of the war. He had invited his uncle and aunt too and made it an official deal and the servants had executed his vision beautifully. 

“Our parents are going to love it,” Lu Ten decided with satisfaction, pulling Zuko into a side hug. The boy radiated warmth and eagerly sought it out as well, melting into the embrace. 

“Actually…” Zuko whispered dejectedly, not meeting his eyes, “Father said that he was busy and didn’t have time to come to our tea party.”

Lu Ten looked down at his cousin and frowned. His Uncle Ozai seemed busier and busier these days but he was still hoping that the Prince would at least make some time for the event that they had been planning for weeks. 

Still, he saw one look at the upset look on his cousin's face and forced false cheer into his voice, brushing a hand through Zuko's hair playfully and exclaiming, “That’s alright! Maybe he can come next time. I’m sure we’ll still have plenty of fun with my dad and Aunty Ursa.” He leaned close as if to share a secret and whispered, “No one ever warned me your mom was this fun.”

The thought seemed to cheer Zuko up a little but he still looked slightly disappointed when Iroh and Ursa arrived alone. 

Iroh gave one look at the room and the table set up with various beverages and desserts and let out a booming laugh. He pulled Lu Ten into a hug with one arm and Zuko with the other, smiling so wide his molars were visible. “So this is what you boys have been planning so sneakily, hmm?”

Zuko giggled as Ursa also walked into the room and caught sight of the table, letting out a delighted gasp. “My, you boys have been busy!”

“We have your favorite ginseng tea,” Lu Ten told his father happily, “And ginger tea for you, Aunty.”

“This was a wonderful idea,” Ursa said softly, bending down to place a gentle kiss on both boys’ foreheads. “Thank you.”

“Yes!” Iroh agreed, gazing down at the two with fondness. “Now lets drink some tea!”

The tea time was an absolute success and Iroh and Ursa both enjoyed it so much that it soon became tradition in the palace. Ozai joined them once in a while but mostly it was just the four of them, Ursa and Zuko and Iroh and Lu Ten. Neither of the two boys were particularly fond of tea but the promise of sweets and funny stories from Iroh was too good to give up. For them, tea meant fun times with family and escaping the strict rules of the palace for a few hours. 

Even after Iroh and Lu Ten left to Ba Sing Se to help the war effort, they found ways to keep the tradition going, sending letters that instructed the other to have tea at a certain time so they could still drink tea together despite the distance between them. 

“Mom!” Zuko exclaimed one day, holding up a package eagerly, “Mom, look what Uncle Iroh sent from Ba Sing Se!”

“What is it, Zuko?”

“It’s jasmine tea from the earth kingdom!” 

Azula scoffed from where she was seated, her mother behind her and braiding her hair, but Ursa quelled any further comment with a sharp look. “That’s wonderful, Zuko,” she told him with a gentle smile, tying off the braid with a piece of ribbon. “We should send your Uncle and Lu Ten a thank-you letter for sending us such a great gift.”

Eagerly, Zuko jumped to his feet, the tea leaves clutched tightly in his hand. “I’ll tell the servants to make us the tea while I write the letter. Then we can tell Uncle how much we liked it. Azula, you can come too!”

“No thanks,” was the flippant reply. 

Zuko shrugged, grabbing his mother's hand and dragging her to her feet. “Fine by me. Now come _on_ , mom!”

Ursa laughed and allowed herself to be pulled along. The palace has seemed oddly quiet after Iroh and Lu Ten had left for the war but one letter from them, even if it came from across the nation, could cheer them up in minutes. 

As they sipped the jasmine tea and ate spiced cakes, she found herself longing intensely for the rest of her family and prayed to Agni that both Iroh and Lu Ten would return back to them soon. 

Two months later, Iroh returned back from Ba Sing Se. 

Lu Ten did not. 

A blanket of darkness cloaked the palace after the Crown Prince’s return, the mood heavy with the knowledge that the royal family had lost someone so lively and young. Something tense brewed in the air, hackles raised in preparation as if something big were about to happen but no one knew what. 

Zuko couldn’t stop his tears when he heard the news, missing his cousin like an amputated limb. If it hurt _him_ so bad, then how was Uncle Iroh dealing with the loss of his only son? He had to cheer his Uncle up, he decided with childish determination. 

With clumsy, inexperienced hands, Zuko brewed a pot of ginseng tea. It burned and scalded under the intensity of his heat when he boiled the water too impatiently but it didn’t feel right to ask any of the kitchen staff to help him. 

There were bags under his uncle's eyes when he opened the door, red rimmed with exhaustion and grief. Iroh moved aside wordlessly to let Zuko in.

“I made you tea,” he said softly, gesturing to the teapot.

Iroh took one look at the pot and burst into tears. 

Zuko watched with hesitation, unsure what he was meant to do. Usually it was the adults who comforted the children and he had no idea how it would work the other way around. Hesitantly, Zuko moved forward, wrapping his skinny arms around his Uncle and burying his face in the rich fabric of his robes to hide his own tears. Iroh returned the embrace tightly, clinging to his nephew as they took comfort in each other. 

“Mom said Lu Ten is still with us,” Zuko whispered hoarsely, clutching his uncle's hand tightly. “She said that we can feel him every time we firebend and everytime the sun rises and sets, watching over us.”

Iroh brushed a hand over his eyes to wipe away the tears, squeezing Zuko’s hand with a watery smile. “Thank you, nephew. I... I needed that reminder.”

The prince got up on aching limbs, walking slowly over to the table as if grief heavily weighed down on him, slouching his back and pushing down his shoulders. He poured himself a cup of tea, forcing back a fresh wave of tears when he caught the familiar scent of ginseng. 

He took a sip, and even though the tea was too bitter and too strong, smiled and finished the cup. “Just the way I like it! A good cup of tea was exactly what I needed.”

Zuko sat by his uncle's side, quiet for a long moment. “It will get better,” he finally whispered, leaning against his uncle's side and oblivious to how wrong he was.

***

_“Making tea is a ritual that stops the world from falling in on you.”_

_– Jonathan Stroud, The Creeping Shadow_

***

Lu Ten’s death was just the beginning.

 _That’s when it all went wrong,_ Zuko thought back as laid in an uncomfortable cot in a military ship, drifting miles away from home. The rocking of the waves was nauseating, almost as bad as the throbbing in his head and the wound on his eye. _First Lu Ten, then his mom disappearing into the night and Azulon being found dead in his chambers. His father being crowned as fire lord and then…_

_The Agni Kai. Being banished._

Everything was wrong and it felt like nothing would ever be better again. Lu Ten and his mother were supposed to be here and without them, it felt like an empty raw wound in his heart. 

The door to the infirmary opened, and Zuko turned to blearily see his uncle walk in, a tray in his hand with a single cup on top. 

His stomach rebelled even before he could catch a whiff of the bitter, rancid smell. “I don’t want it,” He croaked, turning his back to his uncle. 

There was a sigh from behind him, and a warm calloused hand was placed on his back. “It will take away the pain and help the infection, Prince Zuko. Please, you will feel much better.”

Zuko clenched his eyes shut tightly, one fist buried in the thin covers. He considered the thought for a second, considered giving in so that the blinding pain in his eyes would finally go away so he could get some rest but the smell of the healing tea was too strong. 

One sip would be enough to numb the pain but Zuko knew from experience that he would also spend the rest of the day heaving and retching. The relief from pain wasn’t worth the upset stomach. 

Desperately, he shook his head and tried to hide the tears that sprung up in his eyes. Days had passed and his wounds still stung, the emotional ones more so than the physical. To have his home wrenched away from him and be adrift at sea looking for someone who hadn’t been seen for a hundred years…

Sometimes it seemed like he had lost everything he once loved. His mother, Lu Ten, his nation-

The thin mattress bent down from Iroh’s weight when he perched on the side of the cot, brushing a heavy hand through Zuko’s hair. “Please, Zuko,” he pleaded hoarsely, “You need to heal.” 

“Uncle, _please_ don’t make me,” Zuko whispered but Iroh did not heed his request. Gentle hands sat him up and pressed the cup against his lips and then Zuko had no choice but to swallow the tea. 

The pain relief was instantaneous but so was the nausea. He curled up on his side and closed his eyes, swallowing to get rid of the bitter aftertaste of the herbal tea. The taste lingered at the back of his tongue no matter how hard he tried to get rid of it. 

“I’m sorry, nephew,” Iroh whispered, still rubbing his back in a soothing, measured motion. “But we have to keep the infection down.”

There was no reply but then again, Iroh was not expecting one. 

Later, Zuko would hunch over a bucket and throw up his breakfast, tears streaming down his face and Iroh would be right beside him to hold back his hair. 

He would think of his mother and Lu Ten and Uncle and vow to himself _, ‘I’m never drinking tea again_ ,’ before diving miserably back to the bucket. 

He takes the healing tea everyday for the next year and despite many months passing, he never gets over its bitter taste or the agonizing side effects. It’s enough to make his stomach churn just from the scent of ginseng or jasmine. 

Uncle doesn’t understand. 

To him, a cup of tea is all it takes to make everything better but Iroh doesn’t get that there’s nothing that can make this better. Zuko is miles away from home and has lost his family, his nation, his honor and there’s nothing that can fix this. 

The only thing that could restore his honor is finding the avatar, which seemed to be an impossible task. Zuko hadn’t thought that there were many places that a hundred year old man from an extinct nation could hide but clearly he was wrong. No one had seen hide nor hair of the man, and he was not at any of the air temples either. 

It was almost as if it were a useless pursuit. 

Whenever the thought struck, Zuko forced it away. Father had given him a chance to return home out of mercy and kindness, and Zuko would do whatever it took to return back by his side. 

Even if it took years, he _would_ capture the avatar and return to his father's side as the Fire Prince, claiming his rightful place on the throne. 

Iroh subtly tried to get him to rest and when that failed to work, outright ordered him to sleep. He said that all Zuko needed was a nice cup of calming tea but he didn't understand that there was no time for tea or rest. He knew that uncle missed the times they used to drink tea and have lunch together back when he was young but they can never go back to that.

His mom was gone and Lu Ten was gone and his _home_ was gone too. No matter how much Zuko longed to go to sleep and wake up from this nightmare, he couldn’t go back to how things were. 

The only thing he could do now was stay determined until he either found the avatar or died trying and eventually, his patience paid off. 

It’s a blessing from Agni when they see the beam of light at the south pole. Zuko managed to go as far as trapping the avatar in their ship before the young air bender slipped away like a passing breeze. 

After three years of dead ends and sleepless nights, he finally had a lead. 

He had a chance to get back home and he was going to take it. Whatever it took.

***

_“There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.”_

_-Lin Yutang_

***

“Join me for a drink?” Zhao asked with a slimy smile, eyes sharp and cold.

Zuko resisted the urge to shiver under the piercing gaze of the commander. He turned to walk away and forced down the feeling of _danger danger danger_ that came with exposing his back to such a dangerous enemy, “Sorry, but we have to go.”

Iroh stopped him with a hand on the shoulder, “Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect.”

He turned to Zhao and gave a benignant, apologetic smile. “We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite.”

Zhao led Uncle to his tent with nothing more than a malicious smirk sent Zuko's way.

Alone on the dock with no one but his damaged ship for company, Zuko had no choice but to follow.

Tea with Zhao went about as well as expected.

Zuko half expected the food to be poisoned and carefully didn't touch a single dish. Uncle, however, had no such reservations and eagerly poured himself another cup. 

“I haven't found anything,” Zuko said when the commander questioned him about the Avatar, carefully willing the beat of his heart to calm before he gave himself away. “It's like you said. The Avatar probably died a long time ago.”

Zhao looked like he didn't believe a single word, but Zuko was done playing his game. “Come on, Uncle, we're leaving.”

But as he moved to leave the tent, two guards blocked the exit. 

“Commander Zhao,” one of them said, “We interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape.”

Closing his eyes, Zuko let out a quiet breath in annoyance. There was no way Zhao would let him go now.

There was a warm, rancid breath of air against the shell of his damaged ear, so close that Zuko could feel the heat radiating from the commander behind him. “Now remind me. How, exactly, was your ship damaged?”

One of the guards pushed Zuko back against the chair with a hard shove. 

His hands burned hot and heat reared up within him in preparation of a fight, but he couldn't leave the port without his ship, and there was no way the extensive damage had been fixed in the twenty minutes that they had been there. 

They didn’t have a choice but to stay.

Slowly, Zuko recounted the previous day's events and watched as Zhao’s smirk grew wider and wider with every passing word. “So a twelve-year-old boy bested you and your firebenders. You're more pathetic than I thought.”

“I underestimated him once, but it will not happen again!”

The commander turned to look at him with sharp eyes, “No, it will not. Because you won't have a second chance.”

_No he can’t mean-_

Zuko's breath caught in his throat. The avatar was his way home and without him, he- he… 

“Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I -“

“And you failed! Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands. He's mine now.”

Zuko growled and threw all etiquette behind him. He may have been a prince but he had also spent the last few years at sea and there was no way he was going to let Zhao take away the only thing that could return him to his father's side. He lunged at the commander but the two guards from before held him back.

“Keep them here,” Zhao smirked and left the tent. 

Enraged, Zuko took out his frustration on the small table and broke it clean in half. 

Uncle simply looked down at the spilt food and raised a hand to flag down the soldier like he would a waiter. “More tea, please.”

Zuko dropped his head in between his hands and groaned, long and deep. 

They were kept in the tent for twenty more minutes before Zhao pushed aside the cloth that serves as the tent door and entered. “My search party is ready. Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go.”

“Why?” Zuko snarled, “Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?”

Belittling laughter filled the small space as Zhao grinned in cruel amusement. “You? Stop me? Impossible.”

Zuko angrily got up, enraged. “Don't underestimate me, Zhao! I will capture the Avatar before you!” All Zhao desired was glory but Zuko’s ticket home hinged on finding the avatar. He wouldn’t let Zhao take away his honor or his place on the throne. 

There was a stern hand on his shoulder and he turned to find his uncle looking at him with him warning in his eyes. “Prince Zuko, that's enough.”

Zhao watched the exchange amusement. “You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of war ships under my command and you? You're just a banished prince. No home, no allies. Your own father doesn't even want you.”

“You're wrong!” Zuko shook off the hand on his shoulder. “Once I deliver the Avatar to my father, he will welcome me home with honor, and restore my rightful place on the throne!” 

“If your father really wanted you home, he would have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar. But in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation.”

_Azula was born lucky. You were lucky to be born._

“That's not true-“

“You have the scar to prove it.”

With a cry of frustration, Zuko jolted up out of his chair and into Zhao's face. “Maybe you'd like one to match!”

Zhao scoffed mockingly. “Is that a challenge?”

“An Agni Kai. At sunset.”

“Very well.” Zhao stood up straighter and straightened his suit. “It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle will do.”

Iroh watched the commander as he left the room, eyes tracking his back until he disappeared from view. He looked disapproving. “Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a master?”

If only if it were that easy to forget, Zuko thought darkly, the scarred wound over his eye itching. The feeling of his father's large palm spanning over his face and burning would haunt him for the rest of his life. 

“I will never forget.”

When sunset came, they found themselves ushered outdoors to a courtyard. 

“This will be over quickly,” Zhao promised, the sound of the starting gong barely rebervating before he was springing forward with a sharp arc of fire. 

Zuko breathed deeply and felt his inner flame rising to his call. It was easy to slip into the motions of dodging and ducking, retaliating when he got the opening and pushing Zhao to the edges of the platform. 

The commander firmly planted his feet to brace himself against the sudden onslaught, grunting with effort. He raised his arms and fired a strong blast, throwing Zuko back against the ground with the impact. 

He lifted his head, expression turning to one of shock as he looked up and saw Zhao above him, fist raised to deliver the final blow.

His breath caught in his chest at the sight and suddenly he was three years younger and in the royal palace, his father standing above while he was on his knees, begging and crying for mercy-

But no. Uncle and him had practiced this move until the last of Agni’s rays had faded into night, until Zuko could stand unflinchingly in the face of a fist of fire. 

His vision cleared and Zuko found the strength to roll out of the way and swipe Zhao's legs from underneath him. The commander fell to the ground with a grunt, his confident expression melting away to terror as a blast of heat chased his feet. He clumsily tried to block the kick that Zuko aimed his way, staggering back even further and landing on his back. 

Zuko raised an arm, ready to deliver the final blow. The fire burned under his knuckles but he hesitated. He had all the power but he couldn’t do it. No one deserved the agony and humiliation that came with being burnt with another firebender’s flame. 

He lowered his arm. 

The commander saw the moment of hesitation and preyed upon it instantly like a vulture on dead meat, scowling and spitting viciously, “Do it!”

Zuko grunted and shot a flame next to Zhao's face, charring the dirt with blackened soot. Even though the flame had been nowhere near skin, Zuko could still smell the scent of scorched flesh. 

He turned away, nauseous. 

“That's it?” Zhao sneered, turning to the blackened dirt next to his face. “Your father raised a coward.”

“Next time you get in my way,” Zuko said, turning his back to Zhao and walking away. “I promise, I won't hold back.”

He was done here and the overwhelming urge to vomit was urging him to get away from Zhao before he could show any more weakness before the commander. The wound of his face throbbed and Zuko swallowed bile at the familiar pain. 

Two inches to the left and Zhao’s would have been similarly scarred…

There was a brush of heat against his turned back, barely a whiff of flame that didn’t even touch his back. He turned to see Iroh between them with a firm grip on Zhao's foot, dissipating the fire. He tossed Zhao back until he slid away on his back. 

Zuko moved to finish Zhao off but Iroh stopped him with a soft hand to the shoulder. “No, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory.” He turned to face Zhao. “So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you.”

Iroh gave one last scathing look before he turned and walked out of the arena serenely, arms folded behind his back. “Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious.”

His breath catching in his throat, Zuko struggled to catch up to his uncle. They had been sailing for years in a ship smaller than Azula’s cruise ship and were forced to eat rations for every meal of the day. Exactly what part of that did Uncle think was honorable?

“Did you really mean that, Uncle?”

Iroh smiled slyly, while glancing at his nephew from the corner of his eye. “Of course. I _told_ you ginseng tea is my favorite.”

***

_“If leeches ate peaches instead of my blood, then I would be free to drink tea in the mud.”_

_― Emilie Autumn_

***

They meet Song because Uncle decides drinking poisonous tea is a great idea.

“You _didn’t,”_ Zuko gasps when he returns to their campfire with a meager dinner of fish and sees his uncle, blotchy and covered in rashes.

“I did,” Iroh confirms, seemingly unrepentant. He scratches at his face and watches as Zuko panics internally. “When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing. But look what I found!” In his hands were a handful of berries, the juices staining his skin bright blue. “These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade. That, or maka'ole berries that cause blindness.”

Zuko groaned and grabbed the branch of berries and hurled it into the bushes. “We're not taking any more chances with these plants! We need to get help.”

He helped his uncle up and the two began a slow, steady trek into the forest. There were signs pointing to an inn and one advertising a healer not too far from where they had camped out. It took them only an hour to find the place, and when they knocked on the door, the healer gave Uncle an unimpressed look when she saw his rashes.

“You two must not be from around here. We know better than to touch the White Jade, much less make it into tea and drink it.”

Iroh chuckled and itched at his arm. “Whoops!”

He looked completely at peace with his decision, even as his rashes were being slathered with a thick paste. Zuko had a feeling Uncle would do it again in a heartbeat if given the chance, never one to give up on a chance to taste a rare tea. 

Somehow, they got invited to dinner back at Song’s place. Zuko was tempted to refuse and move on to the Earth Kingdom, but his stomach protested violently at the thought. He looked at his uncle, taking in his pallid, pale skin and gaunt cheekbones and gave in. 

“My daughter tells me you're refugees. We were once refugees ourselves.” Song's mother commented later that night as she put down a plate of roasted duck. 

Zuko thought of the riches and extravagance they had at the palace, so much food that they didn’t even know what to do with it, beautiful silk robes and then thought of all the Earth Kingdom refugees they had come across in their travels, struggling to even get enough food for one meal. 

Song gave him a sad little smile, but her eyes were dark with grief when she said, “When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village. All the men were taken away. That was the last time I saw my father.”

Zuko dragged his chopsticks through his bowl of rice, smearing the gravy until it ran over the grains like a little stream. _How old had Song been when her father had been ripped from her?_ he thought. Probably no older than nine or ten. 

The same age he was when he lost his mother.

The thought made him nauseous despite the ravenous hunger that dug into his sides. He put down his plate carefully and pushed it away. “I haven't seen my father in many years either.”

“Oh, is he fighting in the War?” Song asked with a sympathetic gaze, looking at him with so much kindness that it hurt to see. 

Zuko hesitated and turned to look to his uncle for help but Iroh didn't look up from his bowl of noodles, absorbed in his own conversation with Song's mother. 

His stomach twisted at the thought of having Song’s sympathy, when his father was the very reason that she lost her dad. What would she think if he told her right now who he was? What would she do if she found out that she had fed dinner to the banished prince of the nation who destroyed her village?

He clenched his hand into a fist to temper the heat that rose in his palms and realized that Song was still looking at him expectantly for an answer. “Yeah,” he croaked eventually, eyes averted from her sympathetic gaze. “You could say that.”

Zuko forced himself still for a few more minutes, but it was all he could bear before her pitying glances became too much and he was forced to excuse himself. 

The night air outside on the porch was a cooling balm to his heated skin, quelling his nausea. 

“Can I join you?” Came a voice from above. 

Zuko looked up to see Song standing in the doorway, her silhouette illuminated by the waning flames of the hearth. He nodded his assent, watching her from the corner of his eye as she sat beside him on the porch. 

“I know what you've been through. We've all been through it,” she said softly. “The Fire Nation has hurt you.”

Zuko flinched when she raised her hand to touch his scar, catching her wrist before she could make contact with the rough charred skin. No one aside from the healers had touched his scar since he had gotten it three years ago, and even that had been reluctant. 

It was hard to forget the feeling of his father's large, calloused palm pushing against his skin, cradling his face gently but burning with flames of rage and cruelty. 

Song didn’t seem offended by his aversion to her touch, instead giving him one of her Agni damned smiles. “It's okay.” She pulled up the hem of her pants, revealing the scars left behind from a glancing flame. “They've hurt me, too.”

The scars weren’t deep, so he could guess she got caught in a stray flame from a fire bender when they attacked her village. The scars were light and pink from age, nothing like the deep red around his eye. 

How did she think he got his scar? Did she think he got it while caught in the crossfire of a raid? While standing up bravely to the cruel soldiers who tried to burn down his home?

Zuko wanted to tell her that he had earned his scar because he dared to disrespect his nation and his father, and that there was nothing heroic behind it. It was a badge of dishonor and disgrace while hers was a story of bravery and kindness. He wanted to tell her that he wasn’t a victim like her, and that he was not someone who didn’t deserve to be hurt. 

He felt tears prick at his eyes and he wanted to yell at her so she could finally leave him alone and stop giving him those sympathetic looks when he didn’t even deserve it. 

Instead, Zuko stayed quiet. 

Song sighed before getting up, hesitating and then saying, “You should come inside soon. My mom made tea and dessert, and it’s getting cold out.”

She slipped inside quietly but Zuko didn't follow. 

Half an hour passed until Uncle finally left the house, looking sated and full. There was color on his cheeks again and his rashes were almost gone. 

Zuko stood up and gave a short bow, avoiding Song’s eyes when he said shortly, “Thank you.”

She caught his elbow before he could leave and gave him a final smile, “I know you don't think there's any hope left in the world, but there is hope. The Avatar has returned.”

She was right, of course. 

Now that he knew the Avatar was back, Zuko finally had a chance to return home. He had hope that he could return to his father's side, at his rightful place on the throne. 

They walked slowly back into the woods, and there was a part of Zuko that was reluctant to leave. It had been awhile since they had had warm food and a roof over their heads but he stamped the thought down immediately. 

They had to keep moving. 

As they rounded the bend, he caught sight of an ostrich house tethered to a post and approached the animal quietly. It didn’t snarl at him or show any outward sign of unease. It was a trusting creature, even to someone like him. 

At that point, Zuko wasn’t sure that he would even trust himself. 

He ran a gentle hand over its flank, feeling it’s chest expand as it inhaled and exhaled. With the other, he deftly untied the rope keeping it chained to the post. 

There were the brief vestiges of regret and guilt creeping in but he forced himself to ignore it. Song and her mother seemed well off, and Zuko knew that he and uncle would die if they spent much longer out in the wilderness. 

They desperately needed all the help they could get. 

“What are you doing?” Iroh asked incredulously when he saw the creature, “These people just showed you great kindness.”

“They're about to show us a little more kindness.” Zuko said, swinging onto the ostrich horse. “Well?”

Disappointed and reluctant, Iroh mounted as well although his displeasure was clear on his face. 

Neither of them noticed the sad pair of eyes that followed their departure well until they were out of sight.

***

_“A cup of tea would restore my normality."_

_-Douglas Adams_

***

They managed to get into Ba Sing Se disguised as refugees, but it didn’t mean they were safe.

 _“It’s always the Agni damned tea,_ ” Zuko thought indignantly, hands clenched into fists by his side. The beginnings of a headache throbbed at his temple, pounding behind his eyes. _“I knew uncle shouldn’t have bended his tea back at the station.”_

“I know they're firebenders,” Jet was saying, an almost manic glint in his eyes. “I saw the old man heating his tea!”

_Agni, can’t we get a break?_

“He works in a tea shop,” one of the customers retorted, sipping at his cup. The scene Jet was causing was disrupting their lunchtime crowd, Zuko thought a little hysterically. Uncle would be furious. 

“He's a firebender! I'm telling you!” Jet pulled out his hooked swords, and looked about ready to attack if it hadn’t been for the customer coming forward and raising his hands placatingly. “Drop your swords, boy. Nice and easy.”

Jet simply pushed past the man and looked straight at Zuko, brown eyes clashing against gold. “You'll have to defend yourself. Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do!”

He slowly walked toward Zuko and Iroh with his swords drawn, striking down when he came within attacking distance. His blade got caught on the edge of a broadsword, one Zuko had pulled off the guard besides him. 

Like _Agni_ Zuko was gonna let him blow their cover, he thought, kicking over a table to trip Jet up. The distraction worked for only a moment before he had regained his balance and was back to parrying and striking. 

“You must be getting tired of using those swords,” he taunted, “Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me?”

Iroh stood in the open doorway of the tea shop, surrounded by a crowd of customers who watched the spectacle with wide eyes. “Please, son, you're confused! You don't know what you're doing!”

Two Dai Li agents broke through the crowd, pushing aside the customers. “Drop your weapons!”

Zuko immediately stepped away and lowered his sword, unwilling to start trouble with the local police, but Jet pointed his at Iroh and snarled. “Arrest them, they're firebenders!”

“This poor boy is confused,” Uncle said with his hands raised, a perfect act of innocence. “We’re just simple refugees.”

“We saw the whole thing!” The same customer said indignantly. “This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city.”

Iroh blushed bright red at the comment, ignoring the exasperated sigh that Zuko let out. “Oh, ho, ho. That's very sweet!”

The two Dai Li agents walked up to Jet, who glared at them angrily. “Come with us, son.”

Jet fought desperately against their hold, managing to get only one hand free before both arms were cuffed behind his back. “You don't understand!” He shouted as he thrashed in their grasp. “They're Fire Nation! You have to believe me!”

The crowd watched with quiet murmurs as Jet was led away, slowly returning back to their tables. 

“Back to work,” Pao ordered gruffly, pushing Zuko back into the building. The scent of leaves and fruit immediately overpowered the whiff of fresh air that he had gotten, his headache returning back tenfold. 

_“I’m so sick of tea,”_ Zuko thought, reluctantly tightening his apron and moving to take the next customer's order.

***

_“A moment of quiet is good for your mental wellbeing.”_

_-Uncle Iroh_

*** 

Feverishly, Zuko dreamed of red and blue dragons.

He ached terribly when he woke, throat sore as if he hadn’t had anything to drink for days. He tried desperately to recall what had happened but his memory was fuzzy. 

He had set the Avatar bisons free and then… overwhelming panic had swept over him. He remembers the cold sweat that had beaded his skin from fear and terror. There had been some kind of danger, he thinks- like he was going to be hurt any second now and he had to brace and prepare himself for it. 

Uncle said that he had done the right thing setting the bison free but Zuko had also thought speaking up at the war meeting was the right thing to do and look how that had ended up. 

Iroh looked up from his book when he saw that Zuko was awake, leaning over to pour a cup of tea into a small cup. “You should know that this is not a natural sickness, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea.”

Zuko struggled to sit and swallowed the tea with difficulty, the dryness of his throat overwhelmingly painful. “What's happening?”

“Your critical decision. What you did beneath that lake. It was in such conflict with your image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body,” 

“What's that mean?” He managed to croak, before a coughing fit forced him back against the bed. 

“You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew.” Iroh said, which still made no sense at all. He was about to protest when another cough interrupted him. Exhausted, Zuko fell back against the pillow and just listened. “It will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out of it, you will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be.”

Zuko had only a minute to ponder the statement before sleep overtook once more. 

He awoke with the rays of Agni bathed across his face, warm and inviting. For the first time in a long time, he was comfortable and lazy with sleep. He sat up in the bed and relished the stretch of his muscles, feeling more refreshed than he had ever been during his banishment. 

The scent of something cooking wafted through the air, cloyingly sweet, “What's that smell?”

Iroh looked up as Zuko approached the stove, “It's jook. I'm sure you wouldn't like it.”

“Actually,” Zuko said holding up a bowl, “It smells delicious. I'd love a bowl, Uncle.”

With a slightly bewildered smile, Uncle ladled a generous portion into the bowl, “Now that your fever is gone, you seem… different somehow.”

Zuko felt different too, as if something within him had aligned while he was unconscious. It was one of the first times that things felt _right,_ and he was at peace with where he was. 

“It's a new day,” he simply settled for saying, “We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand opening of your new tea shop. Things are looking up, Uncle.”

Iroh's shocked expression changed to a smile, and he placed a gentle hand on his nephews shoulder, feeling inexplicable warmth bloom up within him. 

Things _were_ finally looking up. 

“Who thought when we came to this city as refugees, that I'd end up owning my own tea shop?” Iroh sighed contently, watching over the shop with a proud gaze. “Follow your passion, Zuko, and life will reward you.”

“Congratulations, Uncle,” Zuko smiled, relishing in the overwhelming feeling of _home._ Customers bustled about the beautiful shop, admiring the neat layout and the comforting neutral decor. 

“I am very thankful,” his uncle tearily wiped over his eyes with the sleeve of his robes. 

“You deserve it. The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city.” And he knew it would be true. No one made tea better than uncle, and that was a fact. 

“No. I'm thankful because you decided to share this special day with me. It means more than you know,” Iroh murmured, letting out a surprised oof when Zuko swept him up in a tight hug. 

He pulled away before Iroh could get over his shock, fastening an apron over his robes and moving towards the back kitchens, “Now let's make these people some tea.”

“Yes, let's make some tea!”

For a new shop, the Jasmine Dragon was incredibly busy, their new location drawing in various customers from all three rings of Ba Sing Se. 

The tables were packed with people, clearing out as customers left only to be filled right back up with a new crowd. Serving a great number of people was tiring work but at the end of the day, Zuko and Iroh returned home sore but with contentment of a day well spent. 

Zuko unlocked their apartment door, helping his uncle to the large cushions on the floor. Iroh let out a relieved sigh when the pressure was lifted off his swollen feet. 

“I’ll make you some ginseng tea, Uncle,” Zuko said, moving over to the flame and filling a teapot with water. “You deserve it after working so hard today.”

The pot was ready within minutes, and for the first time in years, both uncle and nephew sat together peacefully for a cup of tea with no worries about what the future would hold.

***

_“When I drink tea I am conscious of peace. The cool breath of heaven rises in my sleeves and blows my cares away.”_

_– Lo Tung_

***

“Have I ever taught you the proper way to brew a cup of tea, Nephew?” Iroh asked early one morning. It was Monday, the one day of the week that the tea shop was closed.

Zuko shook his head from where he was sweeping the apartments wooden floors, looking at his uncle with curiosity. 

“Come,” Iroh set out a teapot and filled it with the appropriate amount of water, but instead of setting it on the stove, he placed it on the floor mat. “I think it is time that I teach you.”

They would be firebending, Zuko guessed so he closed the blinds and sat by his uncle on the floor. 

“The secret to a good cup of tea is control,” Iroh began, removing the lid from the pot so that water inside was visible. He placed a hand against the side and heated his palm only slightly, just enough that the water started to steam. “Temperature is very important; too hot and you will scald the tea. Let it steep for too long and the tea will be too bitter.”

The water began to bubble just slightly as the flame increased by a few degrees. “Can you feel the heat?”

Zuko placed his hand on the opposite side of the pot, closing his eyes and getting a feel for the warmth and temperature of the water. “Yeah, I feel it.” 

“This is the temperature that you must maintain throughout. Make it too hot and the leaves will burn.” Iroh opened a jar of green tea leaves and scooped out a generous spoonful, dumping it into the water. “The perfect tea requires a lower temperature and a softer flame. That is why patience and attention are so important when firebending and why it can be dangerous to rely on rage to fuel your flame.” 

Iroh removed the lid from the pot of tea and took a whiff of the fragrant steam that arose. “Mmmm, and that is how you know it is ready.” He poured two cups of tea and handed one over to his nephew, who took it with an almost reverent expression. 

“I never realized how much care went into brewing tea,” Zuko muttered in awe, staring into the depths of his cup. “Or into firebending.”

“Often times, it is the basics that we neglect. When we become impatient, our attentiveness suffers as a result of it.” Iroh sipped at his tea, smacking his lips at the taste. “It’s true what they say; patience truly _does_ yield the sweetest results.”

Later that night as they lay in their respective bedrolls, Zuko turned his gaze to the windows where the bright splattering of stars was visible against the dark of the sky. 

“Uncle?” He whispered hesitantly, unable to tell if he was awake or asleep in the dark of the room. 

There was a rustling for sheets. “Mm?”

Zuko turned towards his uncle’s direction even though he couldn’t see him, hesitating for so long that he almost feared that uncle had fallen asleep again. Eventually he found the courage to finally ask, “Why did you name your tea shop the _Jasmine Dragon?”_

There was some more rustling, before Zuko got his answer. “Because iss’ your favorite tea, o’ course,” Uncle slurred into his pillow, still half asleep. He waved a heavy, lazy arm before quickly hiding it back under the covers to protect the limb from the night chill. “Now go to sleep, Zuko. We hav’ to get up early in the morning to open th’ shop.”

Zuko laid back against his bedroll, gazing up at the patterned ceiling for a long minute. He turned to his side when he heard Iroh snoring, and buried his wide grin against his pillow. 

That night, Zuko went to sleep smiling.

***

“-And then I told him that he wasn’t good enough for my daughter if he didn’t even know how to cook an ostrich-chicken egg!” Lady Lin Fei sniffed, her friends who were sitting around the table nodding eagerly as they got the latest scoop on her daughter's suitors. “Imagine proposing when you can’t even feed your own wife! Preposterous!”

Zuko cleared his throat for the third time that day, unwilling to interrupt their conversation but desperately needing them to just _leave_ already. The ladies had already finished their tea and were simply sitting around chatting for what was nearing two hours. Lunch was the busiest time of the day and they simply couldn’t afford to turn away customers because there weren’t enough chairs. 

Lady Lin Fei looked up when she heard Zuko, her expression quickly melting into a wide smile that showed off two gold teeth. “Li! So good to see you!”

Zuko gave her an indulgent smile back, the back of his neck itching from the heat. It was hot back in the kitchens and almost hotter in the front with all the customers. “It’s nice to see you too, Lady Lin Fei. I wanted to ask if I could clear away your dishes if you were done eating, or I can get you something if you plan on staying longer.”

The woman turned to look out the window and let out a dainty gasp. “Oh my! Look at the time, I didn’t even realize how late it’s gotten! We’ll get out of hair now,” she began gathering her purse and outer robes and her friends followed suit. 

Before she could leave, Lady Lin Fei turned and gave Zuko a quick once over, an odd yet dangerous glint to her eye. “Say Li,” she began slowly, looking him up and down. “You’re not looking to get married yet, are you? You’re really handsome and I have a daughter your age. I think you two would be the perfect match! She’s a student here at the university, you know-“

“Oh, uh,” Zuko blushed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Thank you I guess, but I’m not uh- looking to get married right now... A-although I’m sure your daughter is a wonderful person.”

Lady Lin Fei sighed with great disappointment. “That’s such a shame. You seem very sweet and my daughter deserves someone who will treat her like the princess she is!”

 _‘Oh, she has no idea,’_ Zuko thought, imagining Lin Fei’s daughter dressed in imperial fire nation robes and ordering around her servants. 

“By any chance, is your Uncle Mushi single? Asking for a friend of course,” she winked, nudging one of her friends and giggling at an incredibly high pitch. “Mmmm, that is one fine man, let me tell you! Sweet and comforting, just how I like my tea. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s also the best tea maker in the city!”

“I, uh…”

“Well if you see him, tell him that I wouldn’t mind brewing a little _something_ else with him, if you know what I mean,” she winked again. 

Zuko knew exactly what she meant and desperately tried to get the mental image out of his head. “I’ll, uh, be sure to pass that along,” he croaked, forcing his blush down. 

Lady Lin Fei giggled as she walked away with her friends, greeting people on her away out the door. It seemed that she knew _everyone_ in Ba Sing Se’s middle ring, although Zuko was sure it was solely because of her tendency to gossip. 

A group of teenagers occupied the empty table, clamoring and talking loudly. They were still dressed in school uniforms and had their book bags with them, clearly coming straight from school. 

Zuko fixed a smile on his face and approached the group, “Hello, welcome to the Jasmine Dragon. What can I get for you today?”

The teenagers were very friendly, and within two minutes, Zuko found himself on first name basis with them and had also gotten an invite to go with them to the Ba Sing Se zoo later that week. He reluctantly accepted, hesitant and unsure but eventually agreed. Zuko had never really had a chance to befriend people his own age, and the only people he could spend time with were Ty Lee and Mai. 

By working in the tea shop, Zuko was introduced to so many new people everyday. It was thrilling and exciting, and oftentimes the best part of his day was listening to strangers share their stories with him. He laughed at the funny stories from the carpet shop owner down the street and sympathized with the man who sold cabbages from his cart. 

There had been a few people who were rude and entitled, but they were easily forgotten when Zuko saw the customers unwind over a cup of tea after a long day. 

It was tiring yet extremely rewarding work, made all the better when Zuko and Iroh finally returned to their little apartment after a long day. The satisfaction of closing up the shop was unparalleled, and their nightly ritual of having a cup of tea before bed was something Zuko always looked forward to. 

“I have something I want you to try, Uncle,” he said one night as they walked home through the bustling streets of Ba Sing Se. Despite it being so late, there were people milling about in the market, chatting and laughing. 

Iroh smiled at a small child as he passed them, turning to give his nephew a curious look. “Now you have me interested.”

“It’s a new recipe I’ve been working on,” Zuko reassured, his eye catching on a stall of flashy, colorful fabrics. “I think you’ll like it.”

The women at the stall smiled at him when she caught him looking, inviting him to come buy her fabrics but he turned away apologetically. Most of their expenses were kept for buying food and keeping the tea shop running, and they couldn’t afford it right now to spend money on unnecessary things. 

The woman didn’t seem offended, simply shrugging and turning her sight to another passer-by. 

When they reached the apartment, Zuko set a pot of water on the stove along with some black tea leaves. He let it steep while they undressed from their uniforms, coming back to the pot when it started to boil. 

When it was done and his nephew presented him with a cup, Iroh asked, “What is it?” The tea was a milky light brown, a thin darker film settling on top. He sniffed at the tea and seemed pleasantly surprised at the scent. “It smells delicious!”

“It’s chai,” Zuko said, ladling himself a cup as well. “But I added a few spices.”

“Spices?” Iroh looked at the cup with uncertainty, “In tea?”

“Just try it,” Zuko urged, eager to get his uncle to sample what he had spent all morning at the tea shop working on. Iroh sipped at his cup, and the joy was instantly clear on his face. 

“This is excellent!” He exclaimed, causing Zuko to blush. “I apologize for ever doubting you, nephew.”

Zuko smiled down at his cup, closing his eyes and smelling the fragrant steam. “It reminded me of the summers we used to spend on Ember Island,” He said quietly, and if he thinks hard enough, it’s as if he can actually hear the waves crashing against the rocky shoreline. 

When he opened his eyes, he saw Iroh with an incredibly tender look upon his face and the beginning of tears in his eyes. “Yes,” He choked out, looking down at his own cup. “It does seem like that, doesn’t it?”

They were both silent for a long moment, lost in memories and reminiscing about the past. Finally, Iroh cleared his throat and raised his cup as if in a toast. “To new beginnings!”

Zuko smiled softly and raised his own glass. “To new beginnings.”

They clicked their cups together and drank, just the two of them in a quiet middle class apartment in Ba Sing Se. It wasn’t much but it was _theirs_ and at that moment, it was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Iroh and Zuko’s tea shop era, also known as the time everything was perfect for about two weeks before Azula came and fucked things up 
> 
> [https://www.reddit.com/r/TheLastAirbender/comments/c9vv5b/uncle_iroh_and_jasmine_tea/](url) Also this is the link to the theory of why Iroh is so good at brewing tea


End file.
